For the fourth year, Berks County Public Libraries will join multiple counties across Pennsylvania in “A Summer Read.” The initiative, which runs June through September, provides the public with a collective read on a topic about health and wellness. This year’s selection, A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, is available to check out at all 23 locations in the county.

The topic of the 2019 selection is a timely one, focusing on the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting and reflects on the issues of mental health problems and violence that intersected to create that incomprehensible terror. Written by Sue Klebold, A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy provides a powerful and compassionate look at Sue Klebold’s life before and after the tragedy at Columbine High School and asks the question “What can we do to support the children and teens in our lives?”

“Libraries have always been at the forefront of providing communities with information and relevant resources on timely issues,” says Amy Resh, System Administrator of Berks County Public Libraries. “We see the Summer Read program as a way to promote the mental health and well-being of the Berks County residents we serve.”

Berks County libraries are going beyond the pages, providing informative materials and educational programming to members of the community as part of the PA Forward initiative on Health Literacy. Programming across all library locations will be added to the Berks County Public Libraries website throughout the summer.

Copies of A Mother’s Reckoning are available on the countywide catalog and can be requested online or checked out at any Berks County Public Libraries location. Cardholders can also read the e-book or listen to the e-audiobook version from their desktop, tablet, or mobile device.